


glowing eyes and burning claws

by venatoris



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Dimension Travel, Dovahzul, Eventual Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Self-Hatred, Slow Burn, a whole lotta lorebending, behavioral issues, draconic/dragon-like dovahkiin, i am making it up as i go, maybe a slow burn. maybe. im not sure, tags will be updated as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-04-08 07:06:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14100033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/venatoris/pseuds/venatoris
Summary: "When some monster is coming at you, glowing eyes and burning claws, it's terrifying; but once you know how it works, you can deal with it. it's just another part of the world. So much of this world is only frightening because we don't understand it." - MinaeveThe Dragonborn, Riinah, finds herself in Thedas, and she absolutely hates it.





	1. Apocrypha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i aggressively listened to 80s music while writing this  
> also i legit haven't written anything fiction-wise since middle school. 8th grade. theres probably gonna be lots of spelling mistakes and plot holes but ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ yknow  
> I will definitely be updating chapters as they get older, and probably adding splash art or something, dunno, so always check old chapters for that!  
> Also, as a forewarning, I headcanon that Dragonborn become more . Dragon-like with each soul added to their "pool" of dragon souls, in the form of horns, claws, scales, etc. and allllll the behavior that comes with it. If you're ever wondering hey what the HECK is this girl doing, thats probably why

 

> _The City of Inkseeds rose from the desert, shining and decadent. Somehow, it still stood. I crossed through the gate, and the beast knew exactly where to take me: the way worn by beggars and poets. The only place a man of my appetites can find satisfaction. I'm not proud, but then, nobody ever is. - The Hidden Twilight_

**4E** **210**

__  
The great spires of Apocrypha pierced the ever-shifting green sky, standing tall even as thousands of pieces of the wretched plane shifted all at once. A lone figure traipsed about endless hallways that were once hostile. There were no more whipping tentacles or growling beasts, so she had forgone her weapons after a dozen visits. Seekers had taken to following RIinah through the plane and organizing the chaos she left behind her - books were often tossed carelessly behind her, without thought, her mind much more focused on absorbing their secrets. She couldn't remember when she read the Black Book that brought her here. She had let herself be manipulated into Hermaeus Mora's trap long before Miraak was defeated, and surrendered herself to the one being who seemed to understand her the most, even if he was befitted with hundreds of eyes and writhing tentacles that exposed her sins.  
  
There was never a day where she didn't kick herself for being so foolish.  
  
She had defeated Alduin, World-Eater, ancient shadow unbound, in the mists of Sovngarde with Nordic heroes old old. She had protected Solstheim from an invasive threat that would have enslaved the entire island if she had not stepped it. She had stopped a power-hungry vampire lord from blotting out the sun and fell in love with his daughter. She had rid the Companions of the beast blood that had plagued them for centuries, rising to be their trusted leader. She had fought in the Civil War, beating the Stormcloaks back into their stone city and thatched farmhouses after defeating Ulfric. She was then named War-Hero. She still couldn't sleep without her door locked and a quick escape planned, couldn't even be in a tavern without analyzing every patron, and still couldn't dig the blood out from under her black claws, or cleanse her blade of it, even if there was none.  
  
She had caused strife and inspired dread among the major cities of Skyrim as a thief, not long after she had begun to lose control of her dragon soul. She eventually found herself in the Dark Brotherhood after murdering some horrible old woman. She adopted the child who begged her to murder the old crone. She killed the Emperor, then joined the Imperial Legion out of guilt. The Thalmor would still invade years later regardless of what she did.  
  
She ran to Solstheim, dragging Serana and her adopted children with her, finally tracking down whoever had been sending waves of cultists after her. To her surprise, he was another Dragonborn - of the dragon blood. She thought he could understand her inner turmoil, but he was too blinded by his pride and arrogance to listen to her. She killed Miraak after she forced her hand and lost herself in Mora's grasp.  
  
She was tired, and wanted to sleep, but Mora's voice echoed in her mind whenever she closed her eyes.  
  
Glazed eyes trailed over the pages of an old tome, the swirling symbols making no sense but RIinah still understood them. If she could just find one more, maybe she could turn back time -  
  
" _Dear champion_."  
  
A sluggish, booming voice sounded over her, breaking her reverie.  
  
"My Lord?" she called, dropping the book to the floor. A Seeker near her wailed in annoyance before picking it up and floating off to sort it.  
  
" _I have... need of you. Ride to the Summit. I must show you something_."  
  
_There's no use in pissing off a daedric prince_ , she thought, and briskly turned around. She had always mapped out the twisting corridors in case she had to go back to find more information. She had already memorized the pathways of the seven Black Books she found on Solstheim.  
Gently touching a scrye, she ran up a set of stairs that led into an open area. This was where she had bent Sahrotaar to her will; she could still make out the faded outline of the word of Power written on the wall at the edge of the platform. She took a deep breath -  
  
" _Lokagaar!_ "  
  
A deep roar split the quiet sighs of papers flying in the wind, a mottled burgundy-grey dragon with tattered wings and curling horns filling the sky like plumes of ash from the Red Mountain. He circled the platform a few times while Riinah craned her head to follow him. "Get down here, you oaf," Riinah snarled.  
  
The dragon landed just in front of her, stagnant wind whipping Riinah's near-white hair from her face. "Krosis, thuri. It has been a long time since I have flown." Riinah nearly scoffed.  
  
"You have the skies to roam. Are they not enough?"  
  
"You misunderstand. I yearn to roam the skies of Tamriel." Lokagaar bowed his head, offering Riinah to sit behind his mantle of horns. "You wish to fly to the Summit, geh?"  
  
She didn't say a word after that, simply mounting him and holding on for dear life as he twisted through the sky. She was certain the bastard took some entertainment out of her trying to dig her claws under his scales. Eventually, they landed ontop of the twisting tower, and Lokagaar made for a quick escape.  
  
"It is ironic that you have devoured hundreds of our brethren but still do not have the wings of them," the great dragon sneered.  
  
"Watch your tongue before you find yourself among them," Riinah seethed, watching him fly into the shifting sky once more, scowling. Then, she turned her focus to the inset platforms of the Summit, and for one, noticed what seemed to be a glowing mirror in place of the pool of writhing tentacles that lay in the center. Curiosity got the better of her.  
  
"What is this, my Lord?" she asked.  
  
All at once, a great double-pupiled eye bled into the sky above her. " _Ah, Champion, my loyal servant, I have finally found a use for you. I have once warned you that all knowledge is not without a price_ ," Mora slurred, tentacles writhing about him and near the mirror as well, as if they, too, wanted to unlock its secrets.  
  
"Yes... what of it? I am willing to serve," Riinah answered.  
  
" _I have... found a world, untouched by the Gods of this one. I seek to change that. Its secrets remain unknown to us and I can feel your curiosity blooming within you, Dragonborn._ "  
  
"Stop dancing. Tell me what this is and where I am to be going."  
  
" _All in due time. You will get there, eventually. It is your fate. The Books have decided so._ "

Mora paused, eye slowly peering down to the mirror before her. A thousand eyes sorrounded it, analyzing it with every passing second.  
  
" _This is a forgotten artifact of the ancient Elven people of their world, that much is certain. I only know of its name - an Eluvian. Where it leads, I cannot know, for it is impenetrable. I cannot see past a veil of dreams,_ " he groaned, anger palpable. His lone eye turned back to Riinah.  
" _This is your fate, Dragonborn. You will unravel the secrets of this new world for me - for us, for the betterment of this world. You will not be without cause._ "  
  
Riinah stood quietly before the mirror, weighing her decision. At first, she was ready to just jump in- but now, after hearing what he had described, she wasn't sure exactly _what_ she would be jumping into. "Do you know anything else of this world?" she asked.  
  
" _I know only this; it has been long abandoned by any Gods. The world you find may be one of turmoil. They will look to you as a divine being. You are doom-driven. Do with that as you will._ "  
  
The dragon blood surged beneath her skin. A divine being - a god? They'll regard her as a God? The air around her became lurid, drowning her for a moment as the souls within her stirred in interest. Stilling her breathing, she managed to grasp onto a string of thoughts. A god? Riinah stole a look back to the mirror - the Eluvian. She could barely stand being recognized as the Dragonborn and she wanted to kick every lowly farmer, peasant, and soldier kneeling before her, blessing her and thanking her so grossly, in the face. She couldn't stand being put in a place of power and it was worse when she was forced into those positions because everyone else wasn't competent enough to do so. Shuddering, she pulled herself out of her reverie. A world unknown - she could feel the ache in her claws to seek.  
  
She sighed, after many more moments of thought. "It will be done as you wish, my Lord," she acquiesced.  
  
" _It would have been done regardless. Go,_ " Hermaeus Mora churned, eyes watching her with burning curiosity.  
  
She took a deep breath and turned her sight from the all-seeing eye of the Daedric Prince to the Eluvian, standing tall and bright even in the decayed pallid light of Apocrypha. A new world, untouched by the Gods. _Lorkhan's gotta be whining right about now_ , she thought to herself. She double checked her armor and greatsword, armed to the teeth and prepared for anything, and took one last, blinding moment of harmony and serenity to clear her mind before she approached the portal. It glowed a blinding light blue, the same color of aetherium she observed in Blackreach, and hummed with unknown magics. It taunted her.  
  
  
She jumped through, and after a moment of blinding light, she was falling through a sea of blackened buildings and a sickly sky that fluctuated like Apocrypha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \--- Dovahzul Translations:  
> Riinah: "Soul Fury"; a dovahzul rendition of the dragonborn's original name, Irina  
> Lokagaar: "Sky Burn Servant"; One of Mora's gifts to Riinah after defeating Miraak, a dragon to serve her  
> Krosis, thuri: Apologies, my overlord  
> Geh: Yes
> 
>  
> 
> im battling a cold AND allergies right now so. Uh  
> if you want to follow my tumblr, its venatoris! same as my username


	2. The Beyond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY FOR THe horrible terrible no good long wait my writing muse died  
> Also I'm not as good at writing fight scenes as I want to be!! Pls spare me

Haven bustled with activity as the sun broke through the mountains at dawn, soldiers rising from their tents to spar and refugees emerging from the various cabins to go about their daily activities. The Chantry bells sung as the small refuge began the day. If she focused hard enough, she could hear birdsong through all of the commotion.

 

There was a knock at the door. "Herald, if you have a moment?"

 

Ellana looked up from her paperwork. She had taken to working alone in her small cabin, and despite Josephine's concerns about her stressing over something she didn't have to deal with, she still liked to sit in her bed, reading reports and letters that they had given her to look over. She got up from sitting cross-legged on her sheets and opened the door. "What is it, Leliana? Has something happened?" She knitted her brows in concern.

"Yes. I apologize for disturbing your rest, but this is urgent. A rift has reopened in the Hinterlands, and refugees at the Crossroads are concerned for their safety," Leliana said, handing her a report from one of the scouts. It was written in sparse, dense letters, short and to the point, and coded to prevent the knowledge from falling into the wrong hands. Luckily, Leliana had taught her how to read it some weeks ago when she had recovered from her injuries. _Rift reopened directly south from Crossroads. No activity yet. We remain watchful of it._

Ellana looked over the report, confused. They can re-open? She had closed all known rifts there last week, how did this one go unnoticed?

"When did the rift reopen?" she asked, handing the folded paper back to Leliana.

"Three days ago," Leliana replied, "though nothing has come out of it yet. I have scouts positioned nearby to observe it and report back if that changes. Cullen has suggested deploying soldiers in case the rift does commute any demons or spirits and is waiting for your approval."

"Tell him yes -  but I'll go there myself. I'll prepare to leave in a few minutes. Thank you, Leliana."

"Of course, Ellana." She paused. "Do not stress yourself."  

 

…

 

Riinah slowly opened her eyes after what felt like an eternity falling. Head spinning, she tried to focus on her surroundings. The sky pitched and rolled above her, shining a sickly green much like Apocrypha - but, even in her mind-addled state, she could tell that this wasn't Apocrypha. In place of the daedric plane's stagnant, mildew-scented and damp air, she discovered that there wasn't any air or wind, only a deafening pressure, almost the same as the air on the Throat of the World. All around her she could sense some sort of an ancient magic.

She could see the faint blue glow of the Eluvian far, far above her, perched upon a twisting island that looked like it had been broken off of some long-forgotten building. The island shifted and slowly disappeared behind what seemed like a mountain. She laid on something akin to stone, but spongy and concrete at the same time, colored black. Groaning, she slowly pulled herself off the ground and stared up into the sky - at the center of it, a large vortex, seemingly magical in nature, swirled and crackled. In the shadow of the breach was a floating island made of blackened buildings - a city? _Who the hell would live in this place?_ she thought. Wherever she was, it was not where she was _supposed_ to be, that much she knew.

She turned away from the city and the vortex and went to inspect the twisting black spires around her, walking slowly and peering around only to be met with the same thing each time - black stone, green smog, strange pooling waterfalls of green liquid that bubbled and popped. It was completely bare, otherwise. As she passed through a crevice just barely big enough for her to squeeze through, she was greeted by a lone wisp flitting about frantically in front of her. Her heart pounded in fear for a second, thinking of the inevitable wispmother that came with such things, before she calmed herself. This wisp seemed different compared to the ones she found in Tamriel - it was colored a bright, neon green, and did not flee from her when she approached it, curiosity burning in her fingers.  Cautiously, she cupped her clawed ink-stained hands around it and it seemed to nestle within them. She smiled, looking down at the wisp, for the first time in what felt like ages. A sense of peace and ennui washed over her.

 

Suddenly, the wisp flew out of her grasp some ways in front of her and bounced around underneath an archway made of the strange stone. The feeling of peace dissipated and was replaced with sudden energy. It flitted around once more before disappearing beyond the arch, clearly wanting her to follow. She stumbled after it, blindly, her boots catching on the stone more than once and nearly causing her to fall in her eagerness. The wisp flew faster and soon Riinah was sprinting through the strange land, jagged shapes blurring in her peripherals to become a mush of green and black. She squeezed through another crevice into a wide, open area, similar to the platform at the base of the Summit of Apocrypha. She had an uneasy sense of deja vu then - it was _too_ similar, but was not perfect. Instead of clean flagstone floors, the area was made of the blackened stone and a clear attempt at a replication of a meadow - the grass was too green, too bright for this plane. She did not trust it and stopped dead in her tracks, staring out into the replicated meadow. The wisp was no longer to be found. Glancing around, the meadow seemed to be surrounded by the same black stone she had seen before, enclosed in a small space with only a sliver of light seeping in through a break in the ceiling. There seemed to be nothing of importance here.

 

Slowly, she turned back to the crevice to try and turn around, but it was no longer there - she was met with the solid face of rock, absolutely nothing indicating there was ever a crevice. She stepped back from the wall, exasperated, and as soon as the back of her heel hit the too-soft grass, she felt the air change and heard a sudden crack from behind her. Whipping around, she drew her greatsword from its sheath only to freeze in fear at the sight before her. A large beast, a _demon_ , horned and clawed and terrible with its many eyes peered down at her from the middle of the meadow. Her mind quickly chose flight over fight and she backed into the wall behind her, eyes wide as she begun to strafe to the left along the wall to try and find an escape. The demon then laughed, deep and horrible, and suddenly cracked a whip made of pure electricity, a harnessed storm, just hairs away from her. She jumped away from the deafening crack and sprinted to the right, noticing more beasts with sickle-like claws and gaping mouths manifest out of the walls, forcing her deeper into the meadow and closer to the demon. Her grip on her greatsword intensified, her knuckles bone-white underneath her scaled armor and her teeth grinding as pure adrenaline and fear rushed through her. Her eyes darted to the demon, to the lesser beasts slowly enclosing around her, to the walls that seemed to further encase them with each heartbeat and suddenly _there_ \- a crack, small but glowing pure green just past the demon, and she reacted on instinct alone. The demon made a move to grab her and she ducked out of the way, just barely avoiding her throat being crushed. She rushed underneath it towards the split and it grew wider, and as it widened she could see another meadow in its reflection, though there were… people? The demon roared, whipping its tail towards her, striking her across her back and she could feel it even through several layers of dragonscale and hide. Gritting her teeth to the point where even she was surprised they didn’t crack under the pressure, she again ducked out of the way of the lesser demon’s swipes and suddenly the rift _opened,_ and she leapt through, heart burning. 

…

 

Ellana had decided to take Solas, Bull and Varric with her, and because they had recently received the horses from Dennet the trip to the Hinterlands wasn’t as terribly annoying as it would have been on foot, though their quips made across horseback were certainly louder as they had to speak above the convoy of soldiers and scouts to the front and behind them. Solas was eager to travel with her, also curious as to why and how a rift could reopen. She took Bull with her, as she noticed his uncanny desire to kill demons and dragons and … just about anything bigger and more dangerous than himself. She dragged Varric along because she knew Solas and Bull would bicker over the Qun again and she would need humor or else she’d jump off her horse straight into a bog and never resurface.

Inwardly groaning after the _eighth_ seething, indirect comment Solas made about the Qun, they had _finally_ reached the area where the rift was. Dismounting her soil-colored horse that was honestly more suited for pulling carts than travel, Ellana noticed the clearing around the rift was darker, deeper, as if corrupted. Then again, it had remained there unopened for some time and she doubted it wouldn’t have an effect on the surrounding land. Solas seemed to notice it, too, peering curiously at the crack in reality. Several scouts remained positioned in convenient spots around the rift yet out of sight - soldiers moved in slowly towards the rift, waiting for her signal - or, rather, for the rift to finally open and spit out whatever reopened it.

As she approached the Rift, her mark crackled and spasmed, and she lifted it towards the rift on impulse, maintaining a safe distance in case it spawned demons. Her palm and fingers outstretched and the Rift widened, slowly, and it took a considerable amount of effort to open it as though it _shouldn’t_ have reappeared here. The Rift then audibly cracked as it grew in size, the air dampening around them and some of the soldiers visibly recoiled. Solas, Bull and Varric remained behind her at first but then circled around the Rift to her sides.

Suddenly, the Rift widened as it finally opened, spewing out an … armor clad figure? The figure dropped like a rock and spasmed for a moment, silent at first then screaming loudly. She didn’t have much time to be confused or react before a _pride demon_ of all things spawned just behind it, and the figure screamed louder, fumbling around with its weapon that looked suspiciously like a very large, very dangerous sword. She heard an offhand “Ah, shit,” from Varric across from her and could only mirror his exasperation as she drew her staff and shot a fireball at the demon before it could crush the figure, which it seemed very intent on doing as it hadn’t noticed the arrows and crossbow bolts digging into its flesh yet. It recoiled as it was struck across the chest with a blaze, though, and turned toward Ellana and roared in fury. She charged it before feinting to its right and this seemed enough for the soldiers to finally charge it as well. Under any circumstance she would had fled if it were not for the sheer amount of force they had, but she was confident they could at least wound the demon enough for it to flee instead.

The demon quickly crumbled under the sudden siege, however, and was unexpectedly taken out by a blow to the back of its knee by the figure, and if Ellana squinted through the battle fury hard enough she could see long, white hair, horns, and an imposing stature. _Qunari?_ She didn’t have enough time to question it before the Rift spawned terrors. The terrors opted to target the soldiers and her comrades instead and she had a clear moment of time where she could harness the Rift and stun the multiple demons - far too many demons, why so many - and she realized the figure from earlier wasn’t stunned like she expected it to be. Instead it was carving through a terror that fell _very_ quickly after being struck with the clearly enchanted greatsword and while she was freezing one of them for Bull to smash she kept her eyes on the stranger. Dark armor, made of some sort of scale she had never seen before, a _clear_ outline of its horns and _tail._ How in Andraste’s tits had this thing not been stunned as well?

All of the remaining demons were quickly dispatched and as she closed the rift the figure turned towards her, sword slung over its shoulder and hair plastered to its - _her_ \- face, golden eyes _burning_ , and before both of them could even get a word out the figure was surrounded by swords and knocked arrows. Ellana could only stare as the figure froze, dropped her sword to the ground and said something guttural: “Oh _, naal ruth rah,”_ something clearly not Common or in a tongue she had ever heard before, and then promptly crumpled to the ground in complete exhaustion, head bowed.

Slowly, as if approaching a wild animal, Ellana walked up to the figure - Bull and Solas trailed behind, and Varric crossed his arms and maintained a wide berth between himself and the stranger. The woman made no move as they approached except peering up at them beneath her brows. The silence dragged on between them. Ellena quickly made her decision. “Chain her and take her to Haven for questioning.” The woman closed her eyes and remained silent. Murmurs filled the meadow, but nobody objected and the woman’s arms were quickly chained behind her, and her weapon was confiscated. One of their mages passively commented that they’d love to take a look at it. She was hauled to her feet - her true height, towering above Ellana and the soldiers and nearly eye level with Bull, if not taller, and Ellana knew that the soldiers transporting her back would probably be terrified. _Definitely Qunari,_ she thought, _possibly a reaver?_ She had once read about reavers whose physical appearance changed as a result of their consumption of dragonblood - maybe that had influenced the woman’s height and the growth of a fucking _tail_. There was no way it was just an aesthetic feature of her armor as it was too long to be practical, she had noticed her using it as a counterweight when she was fighting and it did not sway wildly when she was led away to a cart. Maker be damned. She huffed, quietly, and then turned to her companions. “Good work. Well, if that’s all, I’d like to return to Haven and actually have a drink for once. Most definitely a bath.” Varric chuckled, “You and me both.” Solas smiled inwardly, and Bull stared at the woman unabashed as she walked away.

The Iron Bull had noticed, too, that the woman had used her tail as a counterweight when she swung the greatsword that was as nearly as long as her body. She wore armor over it because she knew if it was lopped off she would be thrown off balance and that she could only really get away with wielding such a large blade by using her tail without wearing heavier armor - her armor appeared to be made of some kind of bone and hide - most likely dragon, _please_ be dragon, but it did not seem to be as heavily armored as it could have been. It was worn, glittering with some sort of magic, probably enchanted. Some parts of it had seen better days and he knew that she hadn’t gotten it repaired in quite some time. Fur mantle matted and unwashed, probably with new demon blood and old blood. A split in the bone across the breastplate. Hole in the hide, among several, on the inside of her right knee that revealed a scar. Heavy gait, too tired and exhausted. Hasn’t fought like that in a while. And the scars on her face - old, reaching across from her right cheekbone, across her nose and splitting down her left side. Too clean and controlled to have been made in battle, too ragged to have been made with a proper blade. Deep yet faded burn on her right cheekbone. An explosion of some sort. Scar across her nose and lip came from someone who had too much anger and not enough time. Tattoos on her neck too clean to have been anything other than ritualistic. Smelled of blood and fire and smoke and _dragon,_ too strong of dragon, a reaver but he had smelled dragon’s blood before and it was never this strong. Too much ingestion of the blood? She was not rabid enough. He had seen warriors that completely lost themselves to blind rage after drinking one too many vials of the substance.  

Too placid for someone who was being chained and hauled away to somewhere clearly unknown. She’s been in this situation before.

And she fell out of a fucking rift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dovahzul:  
> "Oh, naal ruth rah" = Oh, by the damn gods  
> \--  
> also its 3am i have been writing for over 5 hours i am sorry for the cliffhanger :(  
> literally no1 asked but here's my lavellan:  
> [1](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/360572558522974210/406226600972124171/unknown.png) [2](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/360572558522974210/407286146784165890/unknown.png)
> 
> and here's riinah:  
> [1](https://file.toyhou.se/images/7248974_ek07HTb27gOmioM.gif) [2](https://file.toyhou.se/images/7240177_BQdaEj4wPaaXFsT.gif) [3](https://file.toyhou.se/images/7950753_8MHqXYRalHau5Nz.png) [4](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/358397057112866817/473647488730136577/unknown.gif) [5](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/358397057112866817/431993912044027932/6752432_XKAYhtaP753N0kE.png)


End file.
